Stop Getting Destroyed by Counters: Wide Dink, Then Middle Speed-Up
Summary
Richard Pickleball diagnoses why speed-ups keep getting killed: if you only pull every dead ball, opponents sit and wait for the counter.
Instead, dink them wide to open the court, then speed up through the middle with space and options. Wide dink + middle speed-up beats telegraphing pace into a set defense.
Key takeaways
- Pulling every dead ball lets them sit on the counter
- Wide dink opens the court before you speed up
- Pattern: wide dink → middle speed-up
Action items
- Kitchen pattern drill: 2 wide dinks, then middle speed-up — 12 reps each side
- Track how many speed-ups get countered when you skip the wide setup vs use it